Warming temperatures may cause more water main breaks in Michigan

Warmer temperatures are expected to cause headaches for local water systems.

Steve Carmody
/ Michigan Radio

Temperatures across Michigan today are rising into the 50’s.

Warmer temperatures are expected to cause headaches for local water systems.

Water mains could break as surrounding ground thaws.

Flint is dealing with 30 to 40 water main breaks at any one time.

Howard Croft is Flint’s Public Works director.

He expects the number of water main breaks will increase this week…

“There have been reports that the frost level (is) anywhere from five to seven feet in the ground,” says Croft, “At some point in the near future we expect that frost to begin to subside and that is going to vastly increase the number of main breaks out there.”

The city of Flint is working on a comprehensive plan to deal with the needs of the city’s aging water system.